الخميس، 13 نوفمبر 2014

MILITARY DRONE THAT BEGAN LIFE AS A TOY

PD-Black Hornet Will Soon See Service with US Army

Check out the Black Hornet, a palm-sized drone currently in use with the British Army and destined to see service with the US Army. The norwegian-made drone from Prox Dynamics has its early origins as a toy helicopter. Its contractor Petter Murren was the first to design a passively stable helicopter rotor system, and partnered with a toy company to get his idea of the ground. Advances in microelectronics, particularly in the mobile industry allowed Prox Dynamics to create an exceptionally light nano aerial vehicle. The PD-100 PRS Black Hornet, to give it its full name, weighs just 16 grams, about the same weight as three sheets of A4 paper!

The United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) has recently awarded a contract to Prox Dynamics as part of its Cargo Pocket Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance program. The aim of the Cargo Pocket Program is to develop a pocket-sized aerial surveillance drone, far smaller than current UAV, to help soldiers on the battlefield. The contract will involve further refining the drone to reconfigure the data link, provide it with night vision and improve its navigational capabilities. Currently the Black Hornet is equipped withthree embedded cameras and has a range of 1.2 Km (0.75 miles), with a battery life of 20 mins.